


I'm Thankful For...

by Petri808



Series: Inuyasha Short Stories & One Shots [6]
Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: F/M, Family, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Thanksgiving Dinner, appreciation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-23
Updated: 2017-11-23
Packaged: 2019-02-06 03:11:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12808338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Petri808/pseuds/Petri808
Summary: a short story for Inuvember 2017 prompt Friendship.





	I'm Thankful For...

It has been quite the long day, but totally worth the sweat she had put in making the meal they were about to share.  And if the laughter and occasional groans and grunts of delight around the room are any indication, they felt the same way.  The spread of food was truly a sight to see, and smell!  Roasted chicken and ham so perfectly tender and juicy, spiced cornbread stuffing, creamy garlic mashed potatoes, buttery corn nibblets, green bean casserole with crispy onions and mushrooms, candied yam, fried gyoza stuffed with chopped apples and pears then drizzled with a cranberry glaze, and the pumpkin pie that she had been so thrilled to find.  This was nothing like any of them had ever seen or tried before, only royalty and lords in this era could feast this well!  Preparing such dishes without a stove or oven was no easy feat, but thanks to ingredients from her time, some kind local farmers grateful for their help in the village, and a cooking technique she learned about called an imu, managed to put it all together.  

As she closes her eyes for a moment to let it all sink in, she drifts back to earlier that morning before the sun had even risen when Inuyasha was helping her to prepare the underground firepit…   _To pass the time, they hung out next to the small bonfire, it’s crackling flames helping to keep the girl warm in the early morning, fall weather.  This was something she wanted to share with her friends and was thrilled at the opportunity of preparing this feast for them, but there was something about the dancing hues of red and orange that was lulling her to sleep.  She scoots closer to Inuyasha.  “It’s… really nice just hanging out with you like this…” yawns and lays her head on his shoulder.  “…the peace and quiet of this era is something I’ll always treasure.”_

_“You should get some rest, Kagome…” he puts his arm around her shoulder, “I’ll keep an eye on the fire.”_

_“That’s… sweet of you,” yawning again, she closes her eyes.  “Don’t let me sleep too long…  Gotta check on the stones…”_

_“I won’t.”_

_Kagome relaxes against Inuyasha, these quiet, pleasant moments with the hanyo don’t come around as often as her heart desired, so she’ll take whatever she can get.  He might be too embarrassed to show affection when they were around the others, but if it is just the two of them, he seemed more at ease.  She was thankful for how far he had come, from the bitter, cocky loner who said he hated her to the, well still cocky but secretly caring guy who was holding her tight… a serene smile formed across her face, ‘it really is nice in his arms…’_

She didn’t realize the hanyo was watching her from across the room as she smiled and closed her eyes.  He figured Kagome must be tired from working so hard to make all this food for them today.  What was it again she had explained, a holiday from another country?  Where family and friends gather to eat and celebrate what meant the most to them?  The girl had told him while they shopped for the supplies how she wanted to do something special because she appreciated them like her own family.  He hadn’t had a family in so long, but she had helped him to remember what it was like.  While the others were around they hid their feelings for each other but like that morning, when they were alone, it showed…   _Inuyasha sat there stoically, with his arm around her.  Kami forbid she think he was doing it because he cared, even though it was stupid to bother hiding it when a blind person could see the affection he held for the young girl.  His ears twitch and swivel as they pick up the nuances of her patterns, listening for the cues that tell him she is asleep.  The rise and fall of her diaphragm…  heartrate slowing to an even pace…  she’s in the first stage.  Body temperature slightly elevating…  Rapid eye movements under the lids… deep sleep.  He lifts and places her into his lap and wraps his arms around her tiny waist.  She’s so light, and Kami, so friggin adorable when she sleeps!  The serenity of the scene is only momentary because he’ll have to get up to add wood to the fire but that’s okay, for now he gets to hold her close…_

_He brushes a few stray bangs away from her eyes.  One of these days I need to thank her for, well everything…_

~~~

She chuckles as Inuyasha and Shippo fight over the last drumstick, smiles when Sango wipes away a dribble of cranberry sauce from Miroku’s chin, and beams at Kaede as she rubs her contented stomach.  Things could have turned out far worse when she was pulled through that well, she could have been killed by a demon, trapped or kidnapped by bandits and sold into slavery, but luckily the villagers that had found her, and Kaede herself had been nothing but supportive and friendly to the strange girl in weird clothing.  And then there were these friends…  Inuyasha started off as the reluctant and nenju beaded hanyo forced into helping her in the quest for the shikon no tama.  A fox yokai, Shippo was an orphan child whose parents were killed by a jewel-fueled team of brothers and who now clung to her like the mother figure he still needed in his life.  Miroku, the lecherous monk who tried to steal the jewel shards, and lest we forget groped her as an introduction.  And Sango, who had lost her entire village because of their enemy.  They were all a part of this new chapter in her life, banded together through misfortune, to rise together in might, and saved each other in so many ways…  Kagome was truly grateful for this family away from home and a simple meal was her way of saying thank you.


End file.
